Author: Tillie Cole
Narrator: P.J. Ochlan, Katie Schorr
Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Publication Date: June 2016
Genre: Contemporary Romance / Teen / Young Adult
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible
Description: One kiss lasts a moment. But a thousand kisses can last a lifetime. One boy. One girl. A bond that is forged in an instant and cherished for a decade. A bond that neither time nor distance can break. A bond that will last forever. Or so they believe.
When seventeen-year-old Rune Kristiansen returns from his native Norway to the sleepy town of Blossom Grove, Georgia, where he befriended Poppy Litchfield as a child, he has just one thing on his mind. Why did the girl who was one half of his soul, who promised to wait faithfully for his return, cut him off without a word of explanation? Rune's heart was broken two years ago when Poppy fell silent. When he discovers the truth, he finds that the greatest heartache is yet to come.
A stand-alone young adult tearjerker romance, recommended for ages fourteen and up.
My Thoughts: ”Life is fragile, yet in that fragility, there is strength. There is love. There is purpose. It reminds us that life is short, our breaths are numbered, and our destiny is fixed regardless of how hard we fight. It reminds us not to waste a single second. Live hard, love harder, chase dreams, seek adventures…” ~ Tillie Cole
The above quote, in a nutshell, sums up the message contained in this beautiful, heartbreaking story. At the age of five, Poppy and Rune meet for the first time after he moves in next door. They quickly become the best of friends and are each other’s shadow. Unfortunately, as life often does, circumstances separate them when they are fifteen and Rune and his family move back to Norway. Rune and Poppy are heartbroken, but vow to remain loyal and wait for one another. Two years later, Rune and his family return and he is determined to find out why Poppy cut him off without a word of explanation a few months after he left.
Buckle up, dear readers, you are in for a very intense ride. This book broke my heart, put it back together and then broke it all over again. I loved Rune and Poppy individually and as a couple. What really stands out for me is how Rune evolved from someone Poppy knew and loved to someone she barely recognized then back to the person she always loved. Obviously, this book’s primary focus is on relationships, but not just the relationship between Rune and Poppy. The relationships they have with their families and friends was also poignant.
I went with the audiobook and the performances of P.J. Ochlan and Katie Schorr just enhanced the complete experience. The depth of raw emotion infused the performance with an intensity that brought me to tears more readily than if I had read the printed book.
Despite the emotional roller coaster this book put me on and how much I loved this story, I absolutely hated the ending. The story could have allowed me the illusion that everything worked out in the end as it was meant to and ended it there. Unfortunately, it did not. It left me with more questions than answers. Ironically, as much as I am less than pleased with the ending, it fits. Life, love, joy and sadness all come full circle. I am now struggling with whether I want to read the next book in the series. I don’t know if my heart can take another beating, but I have so many unanswered questions with this book that I wonder if any of it will be resolved.
My Final Verdict: If you want a book that will make you feel all the feels, if you don’t mind a book that makes you cry, full-on ugly crying, snotting all over yourself with a pile of tissues next to you, this is the book for you.
No comments:
Post a Comment